The House Education Committee voted to adopt an amendment and recommend a do-pass for House Bill 13 63, a measure that as amended requires schools to maintain a cardiac emergency response plan and to provide brief training on AED (automated external defibrillator) use for appropriate school personnel.

Representative Meyer was the bill sponsor in the docket; Representative Haugen moved to adopt the amendment (identified in committee as 25.03160.02003), and Representative Morton seconded. The committee voted 10-0-4 to adopt the amendment. After amendment adoption the committee considered the bill as amended; Representative Jonas moved for a do-pass recommendation on HB13-63 as amended, seconded by Representative Houck. The committee recorded the do-pass recommendation with a roll of 10-0-4 and later voted to place the bill on the consent agenda by the same margin.

Committee discussion focused on keeping the measure closely aligned with existing practice and avoiding unnecessary state-level prescription. Representative Hager asked whether the Department of Public Instruction should develop the plans or whether this is a local matter; Representative Hager said he thought a cardiac response plan would typically be a local matter best handled by local school boards and associations. Members noted the amendment requires the Department of Health and Human Services to cooperate with the superintendent to develop a regional response plan template while keeping the implementation local. Several members described the required training as brief and practical: Representative Morton said the training could be a “10-minute” awareness demonstration to show staff where the AED is located and how to use it.

Why it matters: The amended bill formalizes a template-based approach to cardiac emergency response and sets expectations for brief AED/CPR orientation for appropriate school personnel (coaches, nurses, licensed staff), while preserving local flexibility on implementation.

Action: Committee adopted the proposed amendment (10-0-4) and recommended HB13-63 be given a do-pass as amended (10-0-4); the bill was moved to the committee’s consent agenda.